A Bad Day
by Happy.daze25
Summary: A daddy charming fic, because I don't think David and Emma get enough moments on the show. Emma's day goes from bad to worse, but at the end of it all David is there to help her through it.


_**It has been awhile since I have been able to write anything, kind of lost the ability. I wanted to try and give it another shot here are unfinished stories that I would love to be able to finish but wanted to get back into the swing of it. This story isn't one of my best but wanted to start somewhere. Any comments or feedback would be appreciated. :)**_

Emma's day had not started off well. It had been one of those days that you wished you had never gotten out of bed. You know those days. Just from the second you wake up everything you touch, say or do goes wrong. First waking up late, spilling the coffee Granny had handed her seconds before, her not so reliable yellow bug breaking down on the way to the station.

It's not like being late was going to get her in trouble with any boss, she was the Sherif after all and the only other person she worked with was her father. But still it just sets your day out all wrong.

Half way through a non stop day a callout came though, David had just returned to the station with her grilled cheese.

Lately there had been a spat of robberies around town and he (or she) were good, neither Emma or her Father had been able get a grip on the person. With a heavy heart the lunch went back on the desk, without even a bite being taken out of it and knowing it was not going to be the same cold.

The call had been anonymous, but had given an address further out, just at the edge of the town. According to the mysterious voice, the robbery was currently taken place one one of the bigger houses by the forest. Finally Emma thought, they may actually have a chance catching this guy.

David took the wheel, there was still a part of him that missed the speed and the fun of a chase. Driving as fast as the police car would allow was the closest he could get to the exhilaration he use to get whilst riding through the Enchanted forest back home.

This meant Emma was the first one out the car and on to the scene, she jumped out the car before David had come to a full stop.

"Emma, wait!" He yelled behind her. "No way" she thought she was not letting this guy get away.

As she reached the back of the house, a lone figure dressed in a black hoodie jumped the fence. "Oh no you don't." Mumbling before shouting "Stop, Police!"

Not to any surprise no notice was taken and the guy disappeared into the next garden over. This was not going to happen, not today. Just as David caught up with her Emma was on the move again. She went to jump the fence, just as she had reached the top, a branch came swinging out from the side of her, knocking Emma flat on her back by David's feet. A high pitch laugh was heard running into the distance.

"Ouch, that son of a..." groaning in pain.

David knelt down beside her, worry covering his face. "Emma, stay put don't move."

"Don't worry about me, go after them."

"Yeah that's not going to happen, don't worry we will get them another day. But I'm more concerned about you at the moment."

Emma wasn't going to lie, she was hurt. But she had spent too many years pretending to be okay when she wasn't. One more time wasn't going to make a difference. Besides, she didn't need David and Mary fussing over her.

"I'm fine, just a bit winded." Gritting her teeth.

"That might work on other people, but I'm your father remember. I may not have your superpower, but I still know when you are lying. Just stay put for a moment." David put his hand to her head, a pang hit him hard. All those times she had fallen over or scrapped her knee, he wasn't there to kiss it better and make her pain go away. It still hurt after all this time, though he did wonder if it ever would stop hurting.

No, he wasn't going to go there now. He had his daughter, okay she was a little taller and a lot more stubborn. But she was here and currently she needed him.

Doing a quick first aid check he could tell nothing serious was wrong with Emma, though she was going to be very bruised and sore tomorrow. "I do think it would be best if we took you to the hospital. Just to make sure." he said already knowing what the answer would be.

"No way, I'll be fine. Just need to get up."

David went back to his daughter's head putting an arm behind her back so he could support her and hopefully slow her down as she tried getting up. He didn't let go of her until she had reached the car. The Prince was tempted to pick her up and carry her all the the way home, she looked extremely pale.

"I take it if I suggest you go home. You wouldn't listen." David laughed as he said it, the look he received was the same one he got from Snow a fair amount during her pregnancy if he ever suggested she take it easy. "Okay. But at least get an ice pack as soon as we get back to the station."

This Emma was not going to argue with, ice pack and painkillers were going to be needed.

Thankfully the rest of the afternoon stayed quiet. David kept a very close eye on Emma, one sign she was getting worse and it was straight to the hospital wherever she liked it or not. He had Snow to answer for after all.

Around dinner time, David had enough of doing paperwork, not that he enjoyed it anytime, but he had been so anxious about Emma that it took him twice as long to do. "Come on I'm sure your mother would like to see us both at some point today. Plus she might have something that will help you with you back."

This might have been the wrong thing to say. Whilst Emma could deal with her father's long distance concern, she wasn't too sure if she could deal with her Mom's over the top fussing. She loved Snow, and got over the whole you're my parents thing a while ago, still she had been alone for a long time, dealing with overbearing, over concerned Snow was not something she was looking forward too.

"You go ahead, I'm going to finish this. I also promised Ruby I would pop into the Granny's after." Emma avoided eye contact.

"Emma, I really think you should come home. Your back is only going to get worse." David wanted to sound stern, but not talk to his very adult daughter like she was a child.

"Really, I'm fine Dad. You go home to Mom."

Even though it had been a while now, he still loved hearing that word Dad. It's all he wanted to hear ever since Snow told him about the baby. "Fine, but call if you need anything." He walked over to her and kissed the top of her head "Promise?"

For the first time in awhile Emma looked up from the page. Maybe she was being a little hard on him. Relaxing her feature, smiling just slightly she promised to call.

Once Emma knew David would be in safe distance away from the station she stood up. Wincing, as she did. Being sat down in the hard office chairs had not done her any good. A bit of walk will be just what she needs, albeit a very slow gentle walk, which annoyed the hell out of the local sherif. Slow and vulnerable was not to Emma's liking.

Finally reaching Granny's Ruby only had to take one look at Emma to see that she was in a bad mood. "You look like you need one of these." The waitress handed Emma a generous helping of a shot of golden liquid.

"You have absolutely no idea." Swigging the drink down in one, that would impress even the most season drinking pirate. Disappearing too quickly Emma looked up at Ruby expectantly, waving the empty glass.

"Okay. But be careful, don't need you getting me into trouble." A less abundant shot was poured.

By the fourth glass that she managed to con out of Ruby, Emma was feeling a lot better, no pain what so ever. Okay so the floor was spinning slightly when she got up to go to the bathroom, and yes maybe seeing double of dart board to the side was a bad sign. Emma did consider that maybe the forth glass was not such a great idea especially not having any food. But who cares, she is allowed to let loose every know and again.

Granny had walked in to the diner, and despite that fact she had walked in unnoticed by the swaying Emma, it certainly didn't take the older woman long to notice and the figure out the state the Sherif was now in.

"How many has she had?" She directed to her Granddaughter.

"Only a few." Though Ruby had seen Emma drink far more than she had tonight, things seemed to have escalated quickly.

Just as this went through Ruby's head a loud crash rang through the diner followed by a loud laugh. Emma had missed the stool, knocking it over and for the second time today Emma had found herself on the floor. However the blond seemed to find this hilarious.

Granny rolled her eyes, this was not the first time she had to deal with a drunk in here. But it was going to be the first time she was going to call the drunk person's parents. There was no way she was letting Emma walk away in this state.

Back in their apartment Snow was pacing. It was not like Emma to stay out this late and not call. Several attempts to the mobile made it clear that it had switched off the phone, again very unEmma like.

It was at the moment she had decided that she would go and look for her daughter that the house phone had started ringing. David got to it first. Hearing one side of the conversation didn't help Snow's anxieties.

"She what!" Pause. "Is she okay.?" Another pause "Okay thanks for letting us know, I'll be right there." David put down the phone with a sigh.

"What happened, where is Emma!" Snow barrelled questions as soon as his ear moved away from the phone.

"Snow, calm down, it was Granny. Apparently Emma has been as the diner all evening and is a little worse for wear. Just need to go and pick her up, though by the sounds of it you may want to stick on some coffee, she may be needing it." David tried to down play what he had been told, his wife wouldn't calm down until she had Emma here.

David was not prepared for the shock he received at seeing Emma once he walked through the doors of Granny's. All he could see was a mop of blond hair on the counter, and her body slipping off the seat. David moved quickly to, just grabbing her in time to then support majority of her weight.

With no words he looked up and the two behind the counter. "David, I am so sorry, I don't know what got into her." The younger one started. He held up a hand, before any more was said.

"Honestly, it's not your fault. I'm pretty sure if Emma want to drink she would have. Though would you mind if I spoke to her for a moment."

The two women nodded, walking around the counter. David sighed as soon as they were out of earshot. "Oh Emma."

At the sound of her name, Emma's head lifted slightly "Daddy?"

This was said in such a quiet voice David wasn't sure if he had heard correctly. "Hey Em. How are we feeling."

"I don't feel well Daddy." There was that word again, this time no mistaking it "Are you angry? You probably are they are always angry."

"Who are Emma?" But whether Emma had not heard or chose not to reply. The question was left unanswered

"Do you think I would have been different if I had grown up with you?" David received an intense stare.

"What do you mean?" He replied gently.

"You know less Emma like." She waved her hand in the arm to try and emphasis the point.

"Oh sweetheart, your mother and I would not want you to be any less other than who you are. What we see when we look at you is a beautiful, strong, certainly stubborn and extremely kind heart young woman I am so proud of of you." There were rare times David could talk to his daughter so openly. If she as willing to talk he was not going to hold back. "Those same qualities you have are so much like your mother's especially the strong willed independent and stubborn one, though don't tell her I said so." This brought a slight smile to Emma's face.

David continued, talking advantage of Emma's silence. "Your past doesn't define you, it made you grow up a lot faster than maybe you would have done otherwise. And sure when you first arrived in town you were a little closed off, that was to be expected. But I have watched you slow open up to people, Henry, Snow and myself. You protect the ones you love, it's nothing less than your mother or I would do for you."

Emma said nothing at first just started at the back wall, David wasn't even too sure if she had registered what was said.

"I use to disappoint people, a lot. At first I didn't know why, what was I doing wrong, why could no body love me." A rare tear slipped out the corner of her eye, which was wiped away hastily.

David's heart was breaking, Snow and him had talked about Emma's past between them. More than a few tears had been shed then, but they vowed not to ask about it, wanting Emma to come to them. He tighten his arm around her back, bringing her in closer. "You did nothing wrong, you were let down by everyone around you, your mother and I the most. We should have been there to protect and love you and we never stop regretting the choices we made. But we are here now Emma, and we love you so much. I know you are use to being alone, taking care of yourself. It was the way you had to be, we are here now let us be you parents. Let Snow fussy over you when you are injured, let me scare any potential dates away. Just because you are an adult doesn't mean you stop needing us."

Emma wasn't hiding the tears any longer, she had buried herself into David's jacket. Nodding against it "I'll try."

"That's all we would ever ask, and we will try not to let you down too."

"Dad?"

"Yes, Emma."

"I don't feel so good." The sadness had left her voice leaving a groaning behind.

"Not as bad as you are going to feel tomorrow. How's your back, can you stand?"

Emma tried to stand up, very unsuccessful getting her leg caught in the stool.

"Okay, will take that as a no then. The car is parked right outside, I'm going to carry you to it. Before you injure yourself further."

His daughter just nodded again, she was fading fast and she would accept anything if it got her bed quicker.

In one easy lift David got one arm under Emma's knees and the other supporting her back. She nestled into him further until he reached the car. Helping her with the seatbelt and make sure she was secure before going round to the drivers seat.

"Dad?" Emma repeated. "I love you too by the way and Mom."

It was very rare for Emma to say those words, the only other time he had heard them was when their lives were in danger once again, his only regret was that Snow hadn't been around to hear it.

"Love you too princess."

It didn't take long for Emma to be completely out of it. David had to carry his daughter back into the apartment. Snow had the door open before he had even reached the top of the stairs.

"David, what has happened." Snow rushed over to start doing a quick check on Emma, looking for signs of injury.

"Relax Snow, our daughter here has just had one too many on I'm guessing on a combination of empty stomach and painkillers. Help me get her upstairs and I'll explain everything."

Together they got Emma on to her bed, managing to remove her jacket and boots and for the first time in Emma's life she was tucked in by her parents. It's was probably a good thing she was out cold, save herself for the embarrassment. Each being able to give her a quick kiss on the forehead, before they left the room.

David was beat, it had been a long day, and he had a strong suspicion that he would be out a partner at the station tomorrow. But he wouldn't change this evening for anything, he is sorry for the way Emma would be feeling tomorrow but for the first time in a while he had actually felt like her father.


End file.
